1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to determining material composition, and more particularly to a method and a structure for determining one or more component concentrations contained in a material.
2. Description of the Related Art
The following descriptions and examples are not admitted to be prior art by virtue of their inclusion within this section.
Compositional analysis of materials is desirable for many applications. For example, the type of adhesive applied to a tape product or the type of metal or paint applied to a product for corrosion protection is critical for the functionality of the products. The method and structure described herein are discussed primarily with respect to the analysis of thin films within semiconductor devices. The term xe2x80x9cthin filmxe2x80x9d is commonly used within the semiconductor industry when referring to layers deposited upon a semiconductor wafer during the fabrication of a transistor. Specialized materials are selected for thin films to perform specific functions of the transistor. In order for a thin film to be effective, it must conform to strict electrical, chemical, and structural requirements. Thin film materials may include, but are not limited to, metallic, semiconducting, and dielectric materials or a combination of such materials. Often, thin films are doped with impurities to heighten the effectiveness of the material used.
Inaccurate analysis of one or more process parameters within the fabrication of a semiconductor device, such as a transistor, may hinder or prohibit the function of the device, leading to a reduction in production efficiency and device quality. The characterization of thin films is especially important, since the effectiveness and reliability of thin films play an important, central role in the operation of a semiconductor device. Therefore, thin films must be accurately analyzed in order to meet a semiconductor device""s functionality requirements. In addition, as production volumes and efforts to improve process control increase in the integrated circuit fabrication industry, the ability to accurately characterize semiconductor processes and the materials associated with such processes in a timely manner becomes more critical.
At present, it is difficult to find an analytical technique suitable for use in semiconductor fabrication that can characterize the composition of a thin film in a simple, accurate, and cost-effective manner. Many current techniques require large pieces of equipment, such as spectrometers that are not used within a fabrication area due to size and cleanliness requirements. Some of these techniques may include, for example, Secondary Ion Mass Spectroscopy (SIMS), Auger Electron Spectroscopy (AES), and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). In addition, current techniques typically employ expensive equipment, thereby increasing the fabrication cost of the semiconductor devices. In some cases, a manufacturer may decide to forego the additional costs of purchasing a piece of analytical equipment and send samples to an outside testing facility. Such an option requires additional time for the analysis to be conducted. Often, the amount of time required for such an outside analysis is on the order of a few days or weeks. As a result, production throughput and efficiency is sacrificed due to the increased process cycle time of the devices. Consequently, many current analysis techniques do not coincide with the desire within the semiconductor fabrication industry to increase production efficiency and improve process control.
It would, therefore, be advantageous to create a method and a structure with which to determine the composition of a material in a simple, accurate, and cost-effective manner. Such a method and structure would be particularly beneficial for determining the concentrations of an impurity within a thin film of a semiconductor device.
The problems outlined above may be in large part addressed by a method and a structure for measuring a concentration of an impurity within a layer arranged upon a semiconductor substrate. Such an impurity may include any species adapted to enhance or retard oxidation of the layer. For example, the impurity may include nitrogen, fluorine, xenon, iodine, or silicon. The method may include exposing the layer and semiconductor substrate to oxidizing conditions. In some embodiments, exposing the layer and semiconductor substrate may include forming an oxidized interface between the layer and the semiconductor substrate. Preferably, the oxidized interface is thicker underneath portions of the layer with a lower concentration of the impurity than underneath portions of the layer with a higher concentration of the impurity. The method may further include determining a difference in total dielectric thickness above the semiconductor substrate from before exposing the layer and substrate to after exposing the layer and substrate. The difference may be determined by measuring a first thickness of the layer prior to exposing the layer and substrate followed by measuring a second thickness of the layer and a thickness of the oxidized interface subsequent to exposing the layer and substrate. Subsequently, the difference may be correlated to a concentration of the impurity.
In some cases, the method may include designating a plurality of measurement locations on the layer prior to exposing the layer and semiconductor substrate to oxidizing conditions. In this manner, a concentration profile of the impurity within the layer may be determined. In addition, the method may include calculating a thickness delta of total dielectric arranged above the substrate at each of the measurement locations from before exposing the layer and substrate to after exposing the layer and substrate. The thickness delta corresponding to each of the measurement locations may then be correlated to a concentration of the impurity to form a concentration profile. In some embodiments, the concentration profile produced by the method may be a lateral concentration profile. As such, designating the measurement locations may include identifying a plurality of points on the layer having the same thickness in some embodiments. In an alternative embodiment, the concentration profile produced by the method may be a depth concentration profile. In such an embodiment, designating the measurement locations may include identifying a plurality of points on the layer, which correspond to different thickness increments of the layer. In yet another embodiment, the concentration profile produced by the method may be a lateral and depth concentration profile. In any of the embodiments, designating the measurement locations may further include identifying a subset of the plurality of points on the layer. For example, designating the measurement locations may include identifying a subset of the plurality of points located at an equal distance from the center of the semiconductor topography.
In some embodiments, the method may further include removing a portion of the layer including the measurement locations prior to exposing the layer and semiconductor substrate. In some cases, removing the portion of the layer may include forming a substantially level surface across the entirety of the layer. Alternatively, removing the portion of the layer may include forming a sloped or stepped surface across at least a portion of the layer. In such an embodiment, the thickness increments of the measurement locations may range from greater than approximately 0 angstroms to the thickness of the layer prior to removing the portion of the layer. In addition or alternatively, the thickness increments of the measurement locations, in such an embodiment, may vary incrementally by less than 20% of the thickness of the layer prior to removing the portion of the layer. In a preferred embodiment, correlating the thickness delta to the concentration of the impurity may include subtracting a concentration of the impurity within a first thickness increment of the layer from a concentration of the impurity within a second thickness increment of the layer. In such an embodiment, the second thickness increment is preferably greater than the first thickness increment.
A semiconductor topography is also contemplated herein. Such a semiconductor topography may include an oxidized interface between a semiconductor substrate and a layer comprising an impurity, wherein a thickness of the oxidized interface is dependent upon a concentration of the impurity within a respective portion of the layer. For example, in some embodiments, the first thickness of the oxidized interface may be larger than a second thickness of the oxidized interface. In such an embodiment, the concentration of the impurity within a portion of the layer corresponding to the portion of the oxidized interface with the first thickness may be larger than the concentration of the impurity within a portion of the layer corresponding to the portion of the oxidized interface with the second thickness. In some embodiments, the layer may include a sloped surface. In other embodiments, the layer may include a stepped surface. In yet another embodiment, the layer may include a substantially level surface. In some cases, the thickest portion of the layer may be approximately 100 angstroms or less. More specifically, the thickest portion of the layer may be approximately 35 angstroms or less. In either embodiment, the layer may include, for example, silicon oxynitride, silicon dioxide/silicon nitride/silicon dioxide, or fluorine doped silicon oxide.
There may be several advantages to determining the concentration of an impurity within a layer using the method and structure described herein. For example, the method and structure described herein may offer a manner with which to analyze the impurity concentration of a thin film of a semiconductor device in an accurate and timely manner. In particular, the method described herein may determine an impurity concentration of a thin film within a semiconductor fabrication area in less than approximately one hour. Such a method may be particularly advantageous over the conventional method of sending samples to an outside testing facility and waiting days or weeks for the results. As such, process cycle time may be decreased, thereby increasing production efficiency. In addition, the method described herein may advantageously reduce fabrication costs. In particular, outside testing fees and/or expensive equipment used for in-house analysis do not have to be expensed or purchased, thereby decreasing fabrication costs.